Chinese tourist bitten by shark while diving in Maldives

The woman was taking a diving course in November 2025 and had used a tampon before entering the water, according to Oriental Daily News. She reportedly wanted to capture Instagram-ready photos and insisted on continuing the dive despite having her period.

A video posted by 8world showed deep bite marks on her wrist. Witnesses said she laughed as her wound was bandaged and initially refused to leave the water, later filming the swollen bite to show her friends. One warned her she could risk amputation if the injury worsened, Mothership reported.

The woman said she did not feel much pain and believed the shark may have been drawn to a silver bracelet she was wearing. She disinfected the injury herself and skipped the hospital until her friend urged her to seek treatment. She eventually received a tetanus shot at a local clinic before returning to China, she shared in the story that went viral on Weibo.

Shark-behavior researchers note that menstruation is not proven to increase bite risk, and water pressure usually stops menstrual flow while swimming, according to the Florida Museum of Natural History.